Several airline journalists and bloggers have posted their reactions to Air New Zealand’s new coach seating that has the possiblity of becoming a kind of 2 or 2.5 person “couch”. 

See The Cranky Flier and Middle Seat Terminal for a look.

I have to say that unlike all the other reactions I’ve read (very positive), I’m wholly unimpressed.  Granted, I wasn’t there to “experience” it but from the photos the seat cushions themselves look awfully thin for true comfort.  Despite the models looking like they’re luxuriating in comfort, that does not look like a comfortable way to relax even on an airplane.  

Yea!  Premium seating got even better for customers of New Zealand.  (I’m being sarcastic)  Economy customers got introduced to 10 across seating on their 777s.  Bleagh.   Economy purchasers can now spend even more money to lounge on something that, frankly, isn’t lie flat and doesn’t really look comfortable at least for taller, bigger or older people.  I’d rather have more seat pitch and, yes, the real economy seating on the 777s will have 33 inches seat pitch (and let’s not get carried away celebrating) but I just don’t see the real advantage to the couch seating.  I wish I did but I don’t. 

What this airline world needs is a better seat for domestic 1 to 4 hour travel with a bit more than 31″ of pitch.   Let’s celebrate and dance when we see that from a mainline carrier in the United States.  Heck, Airtran has a comfortable en0ugh seat that with just 2 more inches of seat pitch, I’d be dancing in celebration of them.  Same for Southwest. 

I want to see some seating innovations for the typical customer actually get implemented.

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